Kevin O’Leary, best known for Shark Tank, blew up on live TV when asked about Donald Trump accepting a $400 million Boeing jet from Qatar.
Appearing on CNN’s NewsNight, O’Leary dismissed any concerns, calling them “irrelevant” and accusing host Abby Phillip of having “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
“Who cares about the plane?!” he shouted when Phillip pressed him about whether the gift from a foreign government might violate the U.S. Constitution.
Phillip replied, “The U.S. Constitution would like to have a word.”
She then asked O’Leary directly if he knew what the Emoluments Clause is. He paused, visibly confused.
“Seriously? It’s a serious question,” Phillip said. “Have you heard of the Emoluments Clause? Do you understand that that is in the Constitution?”
A panelist muttered, “He doesn’t,” as O’Leary tried to deflect.
“It’s debating how many fairies dance on a pin,” he said. “It does not do policy.”
Phillip wasn’t having it. She called Trump’s decision to accept the jet “incredibly dubious.”
Political analyst Karen Finney jumped in: “Kevin doesn’t operate by the same morals and ethics and values.”
“I’m above them!” O’Leary snapped. “I focus on policy.”
Finney shot back: “Oh, because you’re so rich, you get to be above that!”
“It’s nothing to do with wealth, it’s policy, policy, policy!” O’Leary yelled.
Finney made the stakes clear: “If someone is willing to take a $400 million plane from a government… even Ted Cruz had some issues with this… What else is he willing to do?”
O’Leary claimed the jet wasn’t for Trump personally, but to be used as Air Force One.
Experts told NBC News that turning the 747-8 into Air Force One could take years and cost over $1 billion—more than double what the plane is worth.
Even CNN’s resident Republican, Scott Jennings, was laughing at O’Leary’s meltdown.
Watch the heated exchange below:
